Just as Sherlock had Moriarty, so does Superman have his Alexei "Lex" Luthor, the template for all super-nemeses to follow, and arguably one of the best-known literary creations of the 20th Century in his own right. Initially a standard evil-genius-with-a-death-ray stereotype, developed by Siegel and Shuster for one of the anti-war potboilers for which the series was first known, he quickly gained a popularity and style all his own, and flourished into one of the all-time great comic baddies. The first appearance of the character is among the rarest of Golden Age keys.


Having withstood the test of time, this comic has undergone some weathering, but the iconic central image remains unfaded and manages to avoid the shadowing and scuffing on the logo to a large degree. Action #23 is adorned with yet another classic Joe Shuster illustration, one which helped to define Superman in the Golden Age, and set the bar for all other heroes to follow.

Overstreet Guide 2018 VG (4.0) value = $8,000.